We are highlighting that there are additional benefits of efforts to reduce corruption. Apart from the economic aspects – an increase in incomes and infirms’ revenues – which have been highlighted elsewhere, there are significant health benefits, particularly mental health benefits, for the average citizen. There is still more to be learned. We found some evidence that the relationship between corruption and mental health is stronger for women than men, but more investigation is needed to confirm this and establish the underlying causes. Mothers, as care-givers, may pass on the mental toll to their families, so if this is an area that can be improved, then there are benefits beyond the individual. Combatting corruption is a target under theUnited Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals , and we think these findings might apply to other countries in a similar situation with regards to corruption. If more positive changes can be made to combat the problem, then the benefits will extend far beyond economic numbers and into the health and wellbeing of citizens across the world. Dr Saurabh Singhal is a Lecturer in Economics. The working paper Corruption and Mental Health: Evidence from Vietnam is co-authored with Dr Smriti Sharma, of Newcastle University, and Professor Finn Tarp, of the University of Copenhagen. It is available here: https://eprints.lancs.ac.uk/id/epri nt/144152/1/LancasterWP2020_ 009.pdf s.singhal1@lancaster.ac.uk FIFTY FOURDEGREES | 45 2016 - 6.94 2018 – 5.42 Average CES-D score: 2016 – 0.26 2018 – 0.16 Proportion of Households with severe stress: 2016 – 0.5 2018 – 0.36 Average costs of corruption index: Source: VietnamAccess to Resources Household Survey 2016 and 2018. Effects of anti-corruption campaign on levels of corruption and mental health
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